Taipei City Government

Mayor Ko Wen-je presided over the opening ceremony of the 2019 Taipei Lantern Festival in the evening of February 16. Noting that the Lantern Festival is a traditional holiday in Taiwan, he pointed out that the city government is blending modern technology into festival displays to create a unique fusion of tradition and modernity and a novel experience for its spectators.
 
After winding up his visit to the Taichung World Flora Exposition in the afternoon of the 16, the mayor rode the Taiwan High Speed Rail back to Taipei to make it to the opening ceremony of the 2019 Taipei Lantern Festival. He walked from Taipei Travel Plaza to Ximending via Beimen to admire the festival’s giant lantern installations in the streets, including entries from home and abroad.
 
Following his appearance at the official opening and switching on the festival’s main lantern, Ko visited the riddle area to wish people there a happy new year. He recalled that his mother always told him that until the Lantern Festival is over, it’s still considered Chinese New Year, and a proper time to wish people good health, wealth, and happiness.
 
Before kicking-off the festival, Mayor Ko briefly welcomed the citizens and guests attending the 2019 Taipei Lantern Festival, drawing their attention to the 2019 Taipei Luminarie light installation at City Hall Plaza, which opened on February 5 and runs until February 19. He expressed the hope that the slightly overlapping light spectacles would jointly light up the nights of Taipei during the month of February under the Lantern Festival’s theme of Twinkle, Twinkle Taipei.
 
The mayor pointed out that the Lantern Festival is a traditional holiday in Taiwan, and that the city government is blending modern technology into the festival lanterns on display to create a unique fusion of tradition and modernity and a novel experience for spectators. Noting that many displays at this year’s event show a modern touch added to their traditional core, the mayor, without further ado, switched on the centerpiece and declared the festival open.
 
Using a mobile phone with Google Assistant to light up the traditional Twinkling Blossoms theme lantern, the mayor joined hands with eight distinguished guests to loudly sing Zhu Bao, the theme lantern, awake to the delight of the young and young at heart in the audience.